Grand Moff Tarkin
Grand Moff Tarkin, also known as Governor Tarkin, is the secondary antagonist in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, a minor antagonist in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and a major antagonist in the sequel series Star Wars: Rebels. He is an Imperial commander and the master of the Death Star. He acts as Darth Vader's colleague for giving commands and creating plans to destroy the Rebellion. He is considered to be the true antagonist of the film due to Vader never really crossing the Moral Event Horizon in the film, while Tarkin crossed it by blowing up planet Alderaan. He was portrayed by Peter Cushing. He also makes a brief cameo in the last movie of the saga, Revenge of the Sith at the end of the movie as he along with Vader and Emperor Darth Sidious supervise the construction of the Death Star on board the Star Destroyer. ''Episode IV: A New Hope'' In the first officially launched episode/movie of the Star Wars ''franchise (re-released as ''Episode IV: A New Hope), Grand Moff Tarkin makes a first appearance with Darth Vader, after the Millenium Falcon had landed one one of the Death Star bays. Darth Vader feels the presence of his old master, but Tarkin reassures him that the Jedi are extinct. He and Lord Vader held Princess Leia Organa captive on board the Death Star. They attempted to interrogate her to reveal the location of the Rebel Base. After Leia told him the base was on the planet of Dantooine, Tarkin decides to destroy the princess's home planet Alderaan anyway, and then deal with her "rebel friends" later. This makes him cross the Moral Event Horizon like he's driving a spaceship into it. After the truth is revealed that the rebel base was not at Dantooine, Tarkin planned to have Leia Organa killed. After Princess Leia is rescued by Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, Tarkin plots with Vader the destruction of the Rebel base when in range, having planted a signal beacon on the Millenium Falcon before they escaped. During the Rebel attack on the Death Star, however, Luke Skywalker uses the Force to guide his proton torpedoes to the exhaust port and destroys the Imperial space station, killing all Imperial troops, commanders, and officials on board. Tarkin is the most-notable of the crew of the Death Star to be destroyed in the explosion. Trivia *Tarkin can be regarded as the second main antagonist of A New Hope (alongside Vader himself), as Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious (the true villain of the entire saga) did not make his first appearance until "The Empire Strikes Back", and also Peter Cushing, who played the character got high billing behind Mark Hamill (Luke), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia). *Despite the fact that Luke, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Obi-Wan Kenobi are Tarkin's enemies, and Luke is the one who kills him, they have never had any actual interactions. *Despite his respect for Palpatine, Tarkin does not seem to care about Palpatine's fate and is more eager to gain the Empire for himself than to serve Palpatine. *Tarkin's evil is regarded with close respect to Palpatine, and despite far smaller screentime, his destruction of Alderaan is regarded as one of the worst actions of the saga.. *He is commonly mistaken as the main antagonist. However, Vader is the main antagonist since Tarkin only makes a few appearances throughout the movie, plus Vader had bigger plans than anyone else. Gallery Grand Moff Tarkin.png|Grand Moff Tarkin in the Death Star conference room Tarkin.jpg|"Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration, but don't worry; we will deal with your rebel friends soon enough." Lego_Grand_Moff_Tarkin|Tarkin released in the form of a Lego minifigure 640px-TarkinRex-TC.png|Tarkin in Star Wars Clone Wars Grand Moff Tarkin.jpg|Grand Moff Tarkin Grand Moff Tarkain's evil glare.jpg|Grand Moff Tarkin's evil glare vader and tarkin.jpg|Tarkin with Vader Category:Star Wars Villains Category:Military Villains Category:Movie Villains Category:Science Fiction Villains Category:Live Action Villains Category:Lego Villains Category:Henchmen Category:Mass Murderer Category:Planet Destroyer Category:Corrupt Officials Category:Fascists Category:Old Villains Category:Arrogant Villains Category:Control Freaks Category:Right-Hand Category:Failure-Intolerant Villains Category:Supremacists Category:Lawful Evil Category:Minion Category:Sophisticated Villains Category:Delusional Category:Jerks Category:Male Villains Category:Mastermind Category:Power Hungry Category:Fearmongers Category:Humans Category:Sociopaths Category:Non-Action Category:Sadists Category:Liars Category:Dictator Category:Big Bads Category:Faux Affably Evil Category:Cartoon Villains Category:TV Show Villains Category:Science Fantasy Villains Category:War Criminals Category:Strategic Villains Category:Knight of Cerebus Category:Child Murderer Category:Leader Category:Bullies Category:Married Villains Category:Adulterers Category:Abusers Category:Obsessed Category:Megalomaniacs Category:Fanatics Category:Psychopath Category:Villains With Mental Illness Category:Social Darwinists Category:Jingoist Villains Category:Elitist Category:Cheater Category:Oppression Category:Fantasy Villains Category:Genocidal Villains Category:Xenophobes Category:Died in Disgrace Category:Deceased Villains Category:Complete Monster Category:Enforcer Category:Destroyer of Innocence Category:Animal Killers